Collapsible chair



Patented Mar. 3l, 1925.

i UNITED STATESY OTTO BOLDLN, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

COLLArsIBLi; einem.

Application filed October 8, 1923. Serial No. 667,101.

T @ZZ 107mm. t may concern.'

York, have invented certain new and uselll ful Improvements in Collapsible Chairs, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to collapsible chairs, tables, benches or the like, and itV has for a general object to provide a novel device of this kind characterized by simplicity of construct-ion, a further object relating to the provision ot means for extending or contracting the device in length. i

For further comprehension of the inven-` tion, and of the objects and advantages thereof reference will be `had to the. follow;- ing description and accompanying drawing,

and to the appended claims in which theL various novel features ofV the, invention `are y more particularly set forth. Y Fig. 1 of the drawing is a front elevatio view showing one embodiment `of my iinproved device.

Fig. 2 is an undersideI plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a` different embodiment.

Fig. 4; is a fragmentary plan View of the device shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the central l0ngitudinal seat bar.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 ot' the drawing, in which I have embodied my invention in a stool, or backless chair, the chair top or seat is indicated generally4 at 10 and is of skeleton construction and comprises a number of longitudinal bars 10 united at their ends bythe crosspieces 11. These crosspieces 11 extend across, and are secured to the under sides ot the bars 10 and thereby 'form stops or abutments for the legs 12 of the stool, when suchlegs are extended to vertical position.'

The legs 12 are arranged in two pairs,

the respective legs of each pair being united f by the rigid crosspieces lt which serve to hold them securely connected together. These legs are hinged as at 15 to the chair top, the hinge axes being above the crosspieces 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The legs 12 are maintained in vertical position by means of the pairs of struts 17 each otV these struts being formed by a rod which is arranged midway between its ,ends to form a partially closed .loop 18, they two halves of the rod diverging away from one another and being formed with outturned ends19 which pivotally'engage, the respec-V tive pairs of" legs atpoints substantially midway- ,between `the topsland bottoms ot the latter. To holdthe'se struts in the op'- erative position shown a short longitudina'lt rib 22 is formed on ,the underside of the topl and is formed with a pair of upwardly entering tranverse slots or notches 23 in which theloops 18 of the struts 1'? yare adapted to be engaged. Pivoted to this rib 22 vis vva double ended "locking'bar 25 which is adapted to engage under the said loops 1Sv to hold' them in the notches 23, this*l bar being turned tothe side when the legs-are to be collapsed. Then the devicev is collapsed the legs are swung to positions between the side ones of the bars 10 and the next adjacent` ones, andas clearly shown inFig 2 of the drawing, the legs at one end have `aless spacing from one another than' 'the legsat the other end so las to foldY wit-hin the confines of the latter. The" seat may be` provided' `with aback'element`28 which I have shown' as hin-ged thereto, and which maybe provided with suitable means f such as lugs 29 engaging the seat top, to hold it erect.

In Figs. 3 to 6I have shown: my invention applied to a seat which is extensible in length so as to accommodate one or two persons as maybe desired. The top is made up of a number of bars each comprising two sections 30 and 31. bifurcated as at 30 while the sections 31 are adapted to engageinthe bifurcations oftheI sections 30. Fixed to the sides of these sections 31 are metal straps 32 which'prevent lateral displacement of the other sec-- tions. Formed in the overlapping portions oi the respective bar sections ot the central one ot the seatbars are longitudinal slots 35 and 36 through which is passed a headed bolt 87. Surrounding this bolt, below the seat bar is a camelement 89 which is cngaged by a second cam element also sur-r rounding 'the bolt and :fixed to a locking bar which is swingably mounted on the lower end of the bolt. The upper portion of the bolt, or that extending through the slotted seat elements and the cam 39 may be square to prevent turning of the bolt and of the cam.

The sections 30 are Fixed to the underside of the respective sections of the said central bar are a pair of blocks 52, 52', these blocks having transverse notches 43 on their undersides to receive the struts 17 which are pivoted to leg f elements 12 corresponding to the leg elements 12, and thereby hold the said legs extended vertically. The locking bar 50 is of sufficient length to engage these blocks when the sea-t is extended to its full length. It will be noted that when the locking bar is extended longitudinally to engage the blocks 52, 52 the cams 39 and 40 are in a relative position to clamp the overlapping seatfsection elements together and so lock the seat in theposition to which it may have been adjusted, the blocks 52, 52 in this position forming an abutment against which kthe pull of the bolt 37 is transmitted through the bar 50. To facilitate the bar riding over the blocks to position thereon it may be beveled on the top face as indicated at 54. To brace the bottom one of the bar sections 30 the straps 82 may have attached thereto metal plates such as 56 which extend under the bars. The locking bar 50 is made up of a central section to which are hinged,

as indicated at 60 in Fig. 5, the end elements 50', sliding bolts such as 62 being applied in aswell knownmanner to the centre and end members to keep the latter eX- tended. When the seat is contracted these end elements are swung laterally beside the centre element.

VI have here shown with a back comprising the end arms 59' hinged to the seat-and united by telescopic bars each comprising two sections 60, 6lv

the seat as provided which may engage each other similarly to the sections 30, 3l.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

A device of the class described comprising a seat element formed of a number of longitudinal bars, said bars being each formed of two sections slidably overlapping one another at adjacent ends, the overlappingends of one of said bars being formed with registering longitudinal slots, legs hinged to the ends of the seat and adapted to be swung to collapsed 'position between said bars, a rib on the underside of the seat element formed with a pair of notches on its underside, a pair of struts hinged at one end to said legs and adapted to engage in said notches atV their opposite ends *to hold the legs in extended position, a locking bar piv oted to said rib between its ends and adapt! ed to engage under the said notches to hold the said struts engaged therein, a headed` bolt passing through the said slots to which the said locking bar is pivoted, a cam surrounding said bolt below the said overlapping seat bar sections and being` vmovable longitudinally on the bolt but held against displacement therefrom, and a second cam fixed to the said locking bar and also surrounding the said bolt. and adapted to be engaged with the rst cam to clamp the two sections of the seat bar together when the locking bar is swung to operative position. In testimony whereof O'r'ro BoLDrNy affixes his signature.

Y OTTO* BOLDIN. 

